Is Prepackaged Diet Food Actually Healthy?

Are packaged diet foods actually healthy? A recent study concluded that prepackaged diet foods can simultaneously provide the simplicity and nutrient composition that is necessary to maintain long-term compliance to a weight loss program. However, it is important to read the nutrition facts label and list of ingredients on the package. Like anything else in life, there is an upside and a downside to using prepackaged food products.

Some weight loss programs offer prepackaged diet meals including Weight Watcher, Jenny Craig, and NutriSystem. Many prepackaged diet foods can be bought in the grocery store, and they are usually found in the frozen foods section (in an area devoted to diet foods).

The Upside to Prepackaged Diet Food

Prepackaged diet food can have benefits including:

Many claim to contain less than 10 grams of fat.

Some can provide a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.

Convenience

The Downside to Prepackaged Diet Food

Some of the disadvantages include:

Some have a very high sodium content, which can lead to blood pressure and other health problems

The frozen varieties contain chemicals and preservatives necessary to keep the food from spoiling

It is up to you, the consumer, to investigate a packaged diet food for its nutritional value and list of ingredients. Remember this information will be displayed on the outside of the package, along with other pertinent information.

About 3FC

3FC began as a personal source of diet support for sisters Suzanne, Jennifer, and Amy in 1997. The site has grown considerably based on the feedback of the many visitors and sister chicks that found us and decided to call the website home.

The website was acquired by Internet Brands in 2010 and continues to provide the most supportive free weight loss community online!